Harlan Howard is said to have coined the term “three chords and the truth”. He’s also the guy that gave Willie Nelson his first job as a songwriter after the two met up at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge in Nashville in 1960. Harlan was a well-established songwriter in Nashville by then and would go on to become one of the most prolific songwriters of his generation, having penned over 4,000 songs. To lead off next month’s release of Willie Nelson’s 73rd solo album, a tribute to Howard called “I Don’t Know A Thing About Love”, Deeper Roots will share a small sampling of Harlan Howard’s music. Songs that played a big part in defining the Golden Age of Country Music featuring the likes of Waylon Jennings, Skeeter Davis, Jan Howard, Buck Owens, and Patsy Cline. We’ll also hear a couple of Harlan’s own performances as well. Friday morning country on Sonoma County Community Radio.
No.
1
Artist
Title
Album
Buy
2
Porter Wagoner
Harlan Howard Medley
1964-1965 (Warped 6508)
3
The Collins Kids
Soda Poppin' Around
Hop, Skip & Jump [Disc 1]
4
Al Brumley
Someone's Gonna Get Hurt
The Other Side of Bakersfield, Vol. 1; 1950s & 60s Boppers and Rockers from 'Nashville West'
5
Herb Henson
Up the Path and in My Door
The Other Side of Bakersfield, Vol. 1; 1950s & 60s Boppers and Rockers from 'Nashville West'
6
Wanda Jackson
Just A Queen For A Day
Wanda Jackson
7
Buck Owens
Above and Beyond
Buck 'Em: The Music of Buck Owens (1955-1967)
8
Ray Price
Heartaches By The Number
Columbia Country Classics Volume 2: Honky Tonk Heroes
9
Harlan Howard
Be Just a Little Meaner
1959-1963
10
Harlan Howard
She Called Me Baby
1959-1963
11
Patsy Cline
He Called Me Baby
The Patsy Cline Collection
12
Patsy Cline
I Fall to Pieces
12 Greatest Hits
13
Patsy Cline
When I Get Thru With You (You'll Love Me Too)
20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection – Classic Patsy Cline
14
Charlie Walker
Pick Me Up on Your Way Down
1952-1958 (Warped 5230)
15
Kay Starr
Foolin' Around
Capitol Collectors Series
16
The Kingston Trio
Everglades
Capitol Collector's Series
17
Skeeter Davis
Where I Ought To Be
The Essential Skeeter Davis
18
George Jones
You Comb Her Hair
The Best Of George Jones: 1955-1967
19
Patsy Cline
That's How A Heartache Begins
The Patsy Cline Collection
20
Waylon Jennings
The Chokin' Kind
The Essential Waylon Jennings [2007] Disc 1
21
Nanci Griffith
The Streets of Baltimore (feat. John Prine)
Other Voices, Too (A Trip Back to Bountiful)
22
Emmylou Harris/George Jones
All Fall Down
Friends in High Places
23
Willie Nelson
Busted
I Don't Know A Thing About Love
24
Ray Charles
Busted
Genius & Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection Disc 3
25
Lefty Frizzell
She's Gone, Gone, Gone
Look What Thoughts Will Do
26
Jan Howard
Evil on Your Mind
Decca Country Classics 1934-1973
27
Waylon Jennings
What Makes a Man Wander
Folk Country
28
The Time Jumpers
Someone Had To Teach You
The Time Jumpers
29
Candi Staton
He Called Me Baby
Evidence: The Complete Fame Records Masters [Disc 1]